Cerium (IV) oxide is a chemical compound of the elements cerium and oxygen
and belongs to the group of metal oxides. More precisely, it is a rare earth
oxide.
Like all rare earth oxides, cerium (IV) oxide emits a strong light when heated.
It crystallizes in the fluorite structure. In its purest form, the oxide is
whitish to light yellow. If it contains impurities (e.g. neodymium,
praseodymium), the oxide can also take on red or brown shades. The brown color
is mostly ceria, which is used for grinding and polishing purposes. The purity
is irrelevant here.
Cerium oxide has become an indispensable part of our everyday life. Cerium (IV)
oxide is used in catalytic converters in motor vehicles and oxidizes carbon
monoxide and excess hydrocarbons when there is insufficient oxygen.
Polishing agent based on cerium (IV) oxide is used as opaline in the optical
industry for polishing glasses and stones. It usually comes as a dry powder. The
polishing suspension, which is made with deionized water (also basic water),
contains approximately 60 g of Opaline per liter of water.
Similarly, cerium (IV) oxide-based polishing suspensions are also used in
semiconductor technology. They are mainly used for chemical-mechanical polishing
(CMP) of silicon dioxide. However, the mean grain size is significantly smaller,
it is only around 50 to 150 nm. Since the cerium (IV) oxide particles sediment
relatively quickly, organic additives such as polyelectrolytes are used to
stabilize the suspension.
There are also commercial products that use other organic substances, such as
certain amino acids, in order to achieve an increased material selectivity
between the removal rates of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride. The background
is that silicon nitride layers are used as a stop layer in SiO2-CMP and should
not be removed during polishing, if possible.
The cerium (IV) oxide-cerium (III) oxide process is being developed for the
future production of hydrogen using solar energy.
CeO2 is also used as a UV absorber in paints. This serves to improve the light
resistance of exposed surfaces; Otherwise paints will be decomposed by the UV
radiation.
We offer cerium oxide in various specifications and purities:
Cerium (IV) oxide CeO2 / TREO: order at least 99.5%.
Cerium (IV) oxide CeO2 / TREO: order at least 99.9%.
Cerium (IV) oxide CeO2 / TREO: order at least 99.99%.
We would be happy to provide business customers with an individual and
affordable offer by email.
Cerium oxide specification
Other names: ceria / cerium (IV) oxide
Chemical formula: CeO2
Molar mass: 172.11 g.mol ? 1
Physical state: solid
Density: 7.3 g cm ? 3
Melting point: approx. 2000 ° C
.
.
.
.